


Side by Side

by crazyinjune



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, M/M, haru really likes waterfalls
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-05
Updated: 2015-04-05
Packaged: 2018-03-21 09:08:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3686502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crazyinjune/pseuds/crazyinjune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haru and Makoto take a much needed day away from the bustle of Tokyo. </p><p>(A makoharu fest prizefic.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Side by Side

**Author's Note:**

  * For [daikimine](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=daikimine).



> This was written as a prizefic for [daikimine](http://daikimine.tumblr.com) for drawing [this beautiful piece of art](http://daikimine.tumblr.com/post/111655285753/theofficialmakoharufestival-username-daikimine) for the MakoHaru Festival 2015!
> 
> The prompt: The boys go on a trip.

Haru’s fallen asleep on the train.

Makoto chuckles ever so slightly to himself. It’s a funny little role reversal--usually he’s the one nodding off onto Haruka’s shoulder, not the other way around. The train jolts a little, and Makoto keeps his thumb between the pages of his book with one hand so he can secure the other arm around Haru, making sure he’s not jilted awake.

It occurs to him after ten or fifteen minutes that Haru’s _heavy_. He’s put more or less all his weight on Makoto’s shoulder, and it’s beginning to go a little numb. Makoto supposes he should apologize to Haru for doing the same to him countless times, but at the moment he’s more concerned with the fact that he might lose all feeling in his left side. He shifts, just a bit, trying to move Haru’s head to a different spot on his shoulder. Haruka falls into his lap instead.

Makoto lets out a noise between a wheeze and a gasp. Still in his lap, Haru cracks an eye open. “You’re too loud, Makoto.”

“You’re in my lap,” For some reason, Makoto can feel the tips of his ears turning pink.

“Mmmmm,” Haru doesn’t seem to be at all ruffled by the situation. He looks up at Makoto. “Tell me when we get there.” And with that, he closes his eyes again, content to stay where he is.

Makoto sighs and balances his book on Haru’s ear, careful not to poke him with the spine. His other hand drifts to Haru’s hair, stroking it absently. He can feel the woman across the aisle watching him, and Makoto snatches his hand away, blushing.

“Makoto.” Haruka is looking at him again. “I don’t mind. It feels nice.”

Makoto smiles. “Okay, Haru.”

He doesn’t even mind when Haru’s weight makes his legs go numb.

 

* * *

 

 

“So _this_ is why you wanted to come here.” Makoto’s trying to hide the laughter in his voice, but it’s not working.

Haru ignores him, too busy being entranced by the waterfall in the middle of the park. It’s a far cry from the crowded, bustling city around it, water couring from a concrete outcropping and tumbling over large, jagged rocks to fall onto the stone below.

The waterfall sparkles. Haru sparkles back, letting the spray hit him as he flutters his eyes shut. Makoto sneaks a picture on his phone and sending a quick message. Three messages come back almost instantly.

 **_Nagisa:_ ** _Haru-chan looks like a water nymph!!!!!!!!!_ _ヽ_ _(=^_ _･_ _ω_ _･_ _^=)_ _丿_

 **_Rei:_ ** _What a beautiful location, Makoto-senpai!_

 **_Rin:_ ** _Oh my fucking god Haru_

Makoto smiles. “Haru!” he calls. “Look, we can go behind it.”

He follows Haru behind the pouring water, breathing a sigh at the dramatically cooler air in the marble alcove. “Ahhhhhh, isn’t this nice, Haru? It’s so hot out.” He looks over at Haruka. “ _Haru!_ ”

“What?” Haru’s already gotten his shirt halfway unbuttoned. He quirks an eyebrow up. “You did say it’s hot out.”

Makoto can do nothing but let out a deep, long suffering sigh and spend the next five minutes clinging onto the back of Haru’s jacket to keep him from stripping.

 

* * *

 

 

“Come up, Haru-chan!”

Haruka glares without much venom, looking up at Makoto. “Drop the _chan_.” He grabs Makoto’s hand, and Makoto pulls him up over the side of the winding railings on the ramp that runs to the landing on top of the waterfall. Haru pushes a foot off the railing to hop over the running water, and lands on the other side, stumbling.

“Careful, Haru.” Makoto catches his arms gently. He peers at the ramp with a slight frown. “I’m pretty sure we’re not supposed to have jumped that anyways.”

Haruka dismisses this. “If they didn’t think people would jump it, they wouldn’t have made it so easy to.” Makoto gives him a small laugh.

“Look at the view,” he says, nudging Haru in the side.

Haru looks. He can see past the waterfall and across the entire park, past the city’s tall building, all the way to the ocean. He walks to the middle of the landing and sits down on the steps in front of the small pool that serve as the waterfall’s source, drawing his knees up to his chest and taking a moment to just watch. The people look tiny from here. Makoto joins him after a minute, and they sit in silence together.

“It’s the same ocean,” Haruka says.

Makoto tilts his head at him. “What?”

“That’s what Rin said,” Haru clarifies, turning his head slightly towards Makoto. “When we ah...when we went to Australia. He said that when he was there the first time he would come to the beach and watch the ocean, because we were on the other side.”

“That’s so like him.” Makoto smiles, humming a little in the back of his throat. “Do you think he’s looking at the same ocean now?” Haru shrugs. “Hi, Rin.” Makoto tells the ocean.

Haruka rolls his eyes, mostly in fondness. “You’re being silly.” Makoto pouts, and Haru sighs. “Hi, Rin,” he relents.

Makoto stretches out onto his back and closes his eyes against the sun’s glare. Haru looks at him for a moment, then takes a picture. “Do you think he’s lonely?” Makoto asks, eyes still closed. “Rin. I mean he was last time.”

Haru shakes his head, even though Makoto can’t see him. “No. No, he’s grown up now. And Sousuke is going to join him soon.”

Makoto opens his eyes in surprise, struggling to prop himself up on his elbows. “What? How do you know?”

Haru shrugs. “He told me.”

“ _Sousuke_ did?” Makoto’s eyebrows threaten to disappear into his hairline.

“We talk sometimes,” Haru says, somewhat defensive. “I mean, we don’t hate each other anymore.”

Makoto looks pleased. “I’m glad.”

Haruka stretches out at well, enjoying the warmth on his skin and the sound of the rippling water. After a moment, he notices Makoto staring at him. “What?”

“Ah.” Makoto shakes his head a little, as if trying to shake his thoughts together. “I was just wondering,  Haru. If you ever thought about joining Rin too.”

Haru frowns. “Absolutely not. Australia has too much English, not enough mackerel.”

Makoto laughs softly, but still, his eyebrows furrow. “But you could get better training there than you’re getting here, couldn’t you?”

Haru sighs, sitting up and looking Makoto straight in the eye. “Makoto.” Makoto sits up too, meeting Haru’s gaze. “I am exactly where I want to be right now.”

The sun hits Makoto’s face, and his answering smile is twice as dazzling.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi on [tumblr!](http://www.crazyinjune.tumblr.com)
> 
> And check out the winning entries at theofficialmakoharufestival.tumblr.com :)


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